Machinations in the Emperor's Court
by whiteswan
Summary: S3 AU: Hotch's has been in a bad mood all week and the team's determined to find out why. Penelope and Dave scheme, Hotch is grumpy, JJ attempts to contain the chaos and the rest are just trying to stay out of the way. Eventual JJ/Hotch.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Written for Jekkah's birthday, though a bit late. Season 3 AU, pre-'Penelope'; for the purpose of this story Hotch's divorce was finalized in the late summer before S3 started. Hope you like it Jekkah and happy belated birthday!

Disclaimer: Still not mine. If they were, I wouldn't be writing AUs. Nor do I own the song or characters from the Star Wars franchise.

Penelope Garcia was a woman who knew her talents and was proud of her ability to use them to help her friends. Sure, her computer skills were in high demand during cases but she was particularly proud of her ability to make her friends smile when they returned. Sure, sometimes it took a day or two, especially after the really bad cases. But this was becoming a truly serious situation.

The team had returned mid-Friday afternoon and she'd managed to make both her delicious chocolate god and her newest home girl laugh within an hour of their return, their resident genius within two. As for their newest addition, Mr. David Rossi, well, he'd smiled at her on his way out the door for the weekend and that counted in her book. JJ was a little harder, especially since she'd buried herself in her office when they'd returned, but she'd managed it when she dragged her fellow blond out for a Saturday brunch. The boss man on the other hand….he was often her biggest challenge but right now she was getting downright worried!

She hadn't thought anything of it on Friday; it almost always took a day or two to make him smile after a tough case, even for her. She'd stayed away from the office over the weekend, like any sane person, so she hadn't seen him then. But come Monday afternoon, when he was still short-tempered, she stepped up her efforts, to no avail. Now, at lunch-time on Wednesday, he beloved Boss Man was even grumpier than before and she was officially worried about him. Lunch with Reid, Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi hadn't offered any insight to his continued bad mood. So, since subtle methods hadn't worked, it was time to be a little more direct. So to that end she marched straight to JJ's office after lunch, the rest of the team trailing behind her like a bunch of ducklings and entered her friend's office with the barest of knocks.

"Jayje, you've got to help. This is getting scary!"

To her credit, JJ didn't show any sign of the start her friend had given her with her sudden entrance, only looking up from her file with every appearance of calm, "What's getting scary Pen?" Eyeing the group that had gathered in her office she sighed and gestured to the seats in front of her desk, "Sit down and tell me what's going on."

Garcia plopped into one of the seats, Reid gingerly sitting in the other, "It's Hotch; he's acting cranky. I mean, not his usual level of cranky but ready-to-rip-someone's-head-off cranky. I know the last case was rough but he's not usually this bad for this long. I mean, ok, I know that…"

JJ blinked and looked at Morgan as Garcia trailed off, "Translation?"

Morgan leaned against the closed door with a half-amused, half-worried look, "She's worried about Hotch. He's been a bear all week and none of us know why. We were hoping you might have an idea."

"Why me?"

"Because you're like, the Hotch Whisperer!" At JJ's confused look the techie went on, "You get him Jayje, he talks to you. Why's he so cranky these days? Was it the case?"

JJ sighed as the pieces clicked into place, "No Pen, it's not the case, at least not all of it. Hotch just has a lot on his mind these days."

Rossi spoke up from his position near her file cabinet, "Care to share with the rest of us? Because at this point I'm about ready to play 'The Imperial March' every time he leaves his office. He makes Darth Vader look positively friendly these days."

JJ had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her snicker at the thought of Hotch's reaction to _that _idea, (Prentiss didn't quiet succeed in her attempt at the same,) but she managed to sober quickly at the concerned looks on her friends' faces. They really were worried about Hotch and he obviously hadn't said anything, even to Rossi, about what was going on, so….

"Haley's been giving Hotch trouble when it comes to him seeing Jack over the last few weeks. When it came to the divorce he gave her her way on a lot of things, in order to keep things as amicable as possible. But now she's giving him a hard time because he's not there to see Jack when we're on cases but when he's home she makes excuses. He was supposed to have Jack this past weekend but Haley took him to her parents' on Friday and didn't come home until Sunday night. Hotch hasn't seen him in the last couple of days either. I know that he's trying to keep things civil but Haley isn't making it easy. That's why he's been in a bad mood." She paused and gave each of them a stern look before continuing, "Do _not_ say anything to him about it…no lawyer offers, no sympathetic speeches, nothing. Just…"

The ringing of her phone cut her off and she hit the speaker button, "Jareau."

Hotch's voice floated through the speaker, sounding, to Garcia, colder than she'd ever heard directed at anyone on the team, "JJ, have you seen Morgan or Prentiss? I need them to update me on the status of the Cincinnati case."

To her friends' surprise, JJ didn't seem to react to his tone at all, "Sorry Hotch, I haven't seen them," she directed a stern look towards her teammates and softened her tone slightly, "but if I do, I'll send them your way."

"Thanks JJ." The frost in his tone had melted somewhat but the call disconnected without any further conversation, leaving the team staring at their media liaison in disbelief. Rossi was the first to break the silence.

"Wow. You're good." Not only was she able to lie convincingly to Hotch of all people, but she got him to calm a bit in the space of two sentences. He was impressed.  
"And you all owe me one. Now scram, I held him off but I'm not covering your butts all afternoon. And don't worry…I'll talk to him."

"Thanks Jayje!" In the interest of getting to her office and out of the potential range of her boss's temper, Garcia jumped up and gave her friend a hug, "I'll catch you later!"

"Later Pen." JJ watched as the team trailed out of her office and shook her head. They weren't the only ones worried; she'd been planning to talk to Hotch anyways but their visit had just bumped up her timeline a bit.

Little did she know that her friends had peeled off into an empty office a couple of doors down to continue their discussion. Rossi, once again, was the first to say something, "Well, that explains a lot."

Morgan grimaced, "Yeah, but what do we do about it?"

Reid spoke up for the first time since lunch, his tone even more thoughtful than usual, "It might be best to just let it lie for now. Pestering Hotch will only anger him. And if anyone can get Hotch to cool down, it's JJ; she's always been the best at calming his temper." He looked startled when Rossi and Garcia both turned to look at him with expressions that could only be described as smirks, "What, did I say something wrong?"

"Reid, you're a genius!"

"What does that have to do with…?"

The shrill ring of Morgan's cell phone interrupted him and the older profiler groaned at the name on the display before turning to his female counterpart, "It's Hotch. We'd better jet."

"I'm right behind you." And the sooner the better. She might not have been with the team all that long but Prentiss knew that there were only a few things to fear when it came to her teammates, two of which were Hotch's temper and Garcia's ability to make mischief. And judging by the looks on her and Rossi's faces, she wanted _no _part of whatever scheme they were plotting. Plausible deniability was the way to go! "Let's get up there before he comes looking for us." They left quickly with Reid trailing behind them, leaving the two resident schemers behind.

When the door had closed behind them, Rossi smirked at the blonde tech, "Y'know, I've noticed a number of interesting things around here since I came back. And I'm thinking that you might be the one to help me resolve some of them. Am I right?"

Garcia flashed him a grin that was as bright as a beacon, "If by that you mean cheering up the Boss Man and maybe even opening the eyes of our respective best friends, then I already have something in mind. We're on stand down for the rest of the week and Halloween is almost here…I'd say it's the perfect weekend for a costume party. You?"

"All the way Kitten, all the way."

"Yes! I'm thinking sci-fi theme and thanks to you, I already know the perfect costumes for the Boss Man and my Buttercup. I'll catch the others this afternoon and let them know, and then snag Hotch in the morning. I just need you to be prepared to talk him around if necessary."

Rossi grinned at the slightly maniacal gleam in her eyes, "You got it Kitten; he'll be there. I guarantee it."


	2. Chapter 2

Thursday morning found Garcia knocking on the Unit Chief's office door bright and early, a garment bag slung over her shoulder and a carefully carefree grin on her face. She had to work hard at concealing a wince when the resulting 'Enter!' was as clipped as ever…this _had_ to work! With both her primary and secondary goals firmly in mind she sailed into the office and found JJ at the desk going over files with their boss. Perfect! She laid the garment bag on the couch and greeted them cheerfully.

"Good morning my Captain! Jayje, you're here too, this is perfect! I needed to talk to you anyways!"

The two agents exchanged appropriately wary looks before Hotch asked, "What can I do for you Garcia?"

Here it goes…. "Well, with Halloween so close and us finally on stand down for the weekend, I thought it would be the perfect time for a costume party! Saturday evening; I already emailed everyone the details. But since I know you're busy Boss Man, I took the liberty of picking up a costume for you! And you Buttercup, I already left yours in your office so no excuses!

JJ groaned, "Should I be afraid? Pen, please tell me that it has more material than your average handkerchief and that it isn't skin-tight!" She gave her friend a stern look; Garcia had tried to talk her into more than one skimpy costume over the years. Add in yesterday's conversation and she smelled a plot.

Hotch, for his part, had to stifle the groans that threatened to emerge from his throat, one at the idea of attending a party and the other at the mental image of JJ in the sort of costume that she feared Garcia had chosen. Someone up there was having a good laugh at his expense, he was sure of it.

Penelope grinned at her friend's look; it _had_ been tempting to get JJ something short and skimpy but Rossi's unconscious suggestion was even better, both for her plot purposes and the fact that JJ couldn't use the outfit as an excuse to avoid the party. "No worries Peaches, I promise you're going to love it. It has actual sleeves and even a long skirt, though why you'd want to wear that much fabric on Halloween is beyond me. It's going to be fun! But I gotta go. I'll see you at lunch Jayje! Farewell Captain! You know where to find me if you need me!" With a carefree laugh she spun out of the office before either of her targets could come up with a reason to decline the invitation.

As the door closed behind the quirky analyst Hotch sighed and looked at the still somewhat worried blonde at his side, "Remind me to call the National Hurricane Center and tell them to take 'Penelope' off their list of storm names. One is more than enough."

"I'll send you their contact info by lunchtime." Only years of practice kept JJ from audibly sighing in relief at the small joke, the first they'd exchanged in over a week. Instead she made a show of making a note to that effect on her memo pad, which caused him to grin and ask.

"Do you have any idea as to what that was all about? Garcia's spontaneous but planning a party in two days is a bit much, even for her." Another thought occurred to him, "And how on Earth would she know my size so she could buy me a costume?"

JJ laughed, "She probably hacked your tailor's computer for your measurements." Even as she laughed again at his horrified expression, she worked out her reply to the first question. She could either bite the bullet or try to dodge it. She chose to bite it. "And while I wouldn't put it past her anyways, I think the party is mostly for you."

"Me? She's planning a party…for me?"

Ok, it did sound weird when she put it that way. "Not the party, per se. But she's trying to cheer you up. She noticed that you've been out of sorts this week."

Hotch gave her a wry smile, "Out of sorts, huh?" He knew he'd been in a bad mood, there was no denying that. He just hadn't realized he'd been bad enough for Garcia to become concerned.

"Okay, so she didn't phrase it quite that way. But she's worried about you. They all are."

All of them? Crap. 'No profiling' rule or not, working with profilers sucked sometimes. "Should I expect Dave to come in next?"

JJ grinned, set down the files in her hand and perched one hip on the edge of his desk, "No, I've got it under control for now. But they are worried about you. I am too."

"I'll be alright JJ. I'm sorry if I've been taking things out on the team."

"They're big boys and girls, they're fine. I'm worried about _you_ Aaron." She didn't use his first name often outside of introductions but it was a guaranteed way to get his attention and convey how serious she was. "Were you able to see Jack last night?" He was also smart enough to know that she wouldn't allow him to dodge the question.

He confirmed her suspicion with a sigh, "No, not yet. Haley won't even answer the phone when I call to talk to him. It's getting hard to stay civil when she acts like this." He scrubbed a hand over his face in frustration, "I'm not sure what to do Jayje. She's got all the control here."

And she knew, without him admitting it, that there if there was one thing Aaron Hotchner hated, it was being completely out of control of a situation. "I presume that you're keeping a record of these things-the denied visits, the unanswered phone calls?" Yes, he wasn't a family law lawyer but he knew the importance of documentation. But if he was going to decide to take steps to improve the situation, she couldn't push him. That was Rossi's style and not always the best one to use when dealing with Hotch. But some gentle nudging ought to do it.

"Of course I am. But I know she's keeping records too, of the times I'm away and can't see Jack. And she won't hesitate to use them against me." He sighed, recalling the fights they'd had about his schedule, ever since Jack's birth, her accusations about him not caring enough about his family. "I think making me jump through hoops is her way of getting back at me for not leaving the BAU."

JJ had to bite her lip in order to keep her thoughts about Haley firmly behind her teeth. Between listening to Hotch when he needed an ear and being on the receiving end of several dramatic monologues from Haley in the last year or so, she had a good idea of some of the things that Haley had done. And if she were ever presented with the appropriate opportunity, she'd love to give the woman a piece of her mind. But for now she put a firm rein on her temper and replied, "I'd say she's full of it. Your job and the schedule are no different now than they were before Jack was born and she knows it. When we're away on cases you call Jack every night and you take him every chance you get when we're home. Any of us can attest to that. Have you spoken to your lawyer? I may not know much about family law but I do know that you have options when she denies you your scheduled visits."

"Not yet. I've been trying to keep things as civil as possible, for Jack's sake and bringing the lawyers back into things won't help. As it is she knows that I could technically do the legal aspect of things myself, while she has to pay someone…a fact she's thrown in my face more than once." Not to mention accusing him of, among other offenses, having Garcia tracking her and having an affair with JJ. None of which he mentioned to the blonde at his side, not knowing that she'd heard them all, and more, when Haley had treated JJ to her particular style of vitriol on several occasions. Though he knew the last accusation was likely her reflecting her own behavior onto him, it seemed there was nothing he could do to please Haley, before or after the divorce. No effort was enough for her.

JJ, for her part, would have cheerfully shot Haley herself at that point for putting that look on his face and the defeated tone in his voice. "I suppose that's true. But it doesn't do you or Jack any good to let her act like that without consequences. Jack needs you, no matter what Haley says or does."

"I know. And you're right. I'll make a couple of phone calls this morning." At her raised eyebrow, he had to smile, "I promise!" JJ had always been the 'mom' of the team, managing, prodding or scolding them all as needed. And while she didn't do it to him often, he was grateful to her when she did.

"I'm glad to hear it." Ecstatic actually, but he didn't need to know that. "I'll come back with the rest of the files after lunch so we can finish up. I need to get ready for the briefing. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will. And JJ….thank you."

A brilliant smile was his response as she picked up her files once more, "Anytime Hotch. See you at the briefing."

Once she'd left the room he settled back in his chair and picked up the phone. For his own sake, as well as Jack's, he'd have to quit being a gentleman and be the lawyer who'd faced off with the worst of the worst. If he could face them, he could deal with his ex-wife, especially for his son's sake. "Good morning, this is Aaron Hotchner. Is Mr. Hunt in please?"

Meanwhile, in her own office, JJ was once again setting down the stack of files in her hands in order to free them so she could take a look at the costume that Garcia had picked out for her. Reassurances or not, she still didn't quite trust her friend. She unzipped the garment bag to reveal a dark blue dress and, true to Penelope's word, it had a long skirt and sleeves. It looked familiar but it wasn't until she spotted the accompanying bag of accessories and makeup that she realized what the costume was. What was she up to? The small bundle of beige at the bottom of the bag seemed out of place, at least until she unfolded it; it was a toddler-sized costume, complete with plushy accessory. Obviously Garcia had decided to be tactful for once and gave her Jack's costume to pass along to Hotch if needed. Thank God for small favors.

But, tact or no, she was still suspicious. A quick check of her email revealed the rest of the details for the party, which put her costume into context. But what was her friend up to?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. My muse seems to have taken on a particularly snarky Rossi persona and I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

An hour later, Rossi strolled into the War Room and noticed, with no small level of surprise, that he was _not_ the last to arrive for the briefing. There was a pattern to these things: Hotch or JJ would arrive first (sometimes together if they were still reviewing files) and the other soon after. Garcia would arrive with the crew in the bullpen and then he would saunter in last. There were occasionally slight variations to this but none extreme.

But today, that pattern had been broken; Hotch had yet to arrive. It was a further surprise when, after waiting a couple of minutes, JJ shrugged and began the briefing despite the Unit Chief's absence. When the man in questions failed to appear at all, Rossi decided that this would require some snooping after they finished here-Hotch _never_ missed briefing.

Thankfully the meeting didn't last too long, one of the many benefits of being on stand down this week. And admittedly, Rossi had only about half of his attention on what was being said. It would be lying to claim that a small part of his him (the part that Aaron called 'dirty old man') wasn't coming up with some _interesting_ reasons for his friend's absence but most of all, he was worried. He'd been worried before but with what JJ had told them yesterday, he was now even more concerned.

When he caught Garcia's eye across the conference table he had suppress a grin despite himself; he'd seen her e-mail this morning and already had a costume idea for the event. He was also looking forward to seeing what she'd picked out for Hotch. He had spent the previous evening preparing several arguments to convince the younger man to attend, in case they were needed. He just hoped that his friend's mood had improved or it might be difficult. Hell, who was he kidding? It wouldn't be easy no matter what Hotch's mood was like; in all the years they'd known each other Hotch had never been what one would call a party person.

When JJ ended the briefing a few minutes later, Rossi was the first one to get to his feet and out the door. With a quick detour to drop the new files JJ had bestowed upon him on his desk, he made a beeline for Hotch's office, prepared to beard the lion in his den, as it were. To his surprise, his friend's expression was his normal impassive one, despite Rossi barging into his office; the storm of temper from the last few days seemed to have passed. He looked up as Rossi sat down, said good-bye to whoever he was on the phone with and hung up before addressing him.

"What can I do for you Dave?"

"Can't I just come in to say good morning?" Rossi leaned back in the visitor's chair and steepled his fingers under his chin, trying to look nonchalant.

Unfortunately, Hotch knew him too well to be fooled and replied, "You _could_ but you _haven't_. Are you checking on me Dave?"

The elder profiler grinned, "Partly. And as I was curious as to why you missed the briefing. You're never _late_ let alone not there at all. Is everything okay?" There were several layers to the question and they both knew it.

Hotch paused for a moment and sighed before answering him, "I've been better Dave. JJ said that the team has been worried."

"You have been a bit more cranky than usual this week."

"Haley's been giving me a hard time about seeing Jack. I wasn't at briefing because I had to make a couple of phone calls and asked JJ to start without me if they took too long." He paused for a moment, then seemed to decide to reveal more than he normally would, "I spoke with Larry Hunt; he's going to call Haley's lawyer and fill him in one what she's been doing. Hopefully, that'll make her stop. I also called Haley; it only took my calling three times for her to pick up the phone. The long and the short of it is that I've got Jack this weekend. I'm picking him up after work tomorrow."

"That's great! I can't wait to see the little guy at Garcia's party on Saturday." He saw a frown start to form on Hotch's face and quickly headed off the potential protest, "And no excuses! I saw the e-mail she sent, it sounds like there are going to be several other kids there. Besides, do you really want to think about what Garcia will do to you if you don't go?"

Hotch sighed, "I'd never hear the end of it. Not to mention that she brought me a costume this morning. Don't worry Dave, I'll be there; Jack too."

"You'd better be! What costume did she get for you?"

"I don't know. I haven't looked yet."

Well, maybe Aaron wasn't curious but he certainly was! Spotting the garment bag on the couch, Rossi got to his feet and crossed over to it. When he unzipped the bag he couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the black robes, mask and helmet. Only Garcia would do something like this! "Well, it looks like we'll be calling you 'lord' for the evening." He picked up the mask and helmet and showed it to his friend, "Lord Vader. Hmmm, I wonder if that would make Strauss the Emperor…how frighteningly appropriate." And now he was _very_ curious as to what his favorite tech had picked for JJ's costume!

Hotch, to Dave's surprise, only rolled his eyes in response, "I'm guessing that's her way of commenting on my mood this week. I suppose it could have been worse."

"Knowing her? Absolutely." He set the items down and re-zipped the bag, "Aaron, it there anything I can…" the offer of assistance with the Haley situation he was about to make was cut off by a knock on the door and he saw Aaron's expression change back to its usual stoic mask.

"Come in."

If he hadn't been watching so closely, Dave would have missed seeing his friend's expression change once again when JJ stepped into the room, her arms full of yet more files and a small bag on her shoulder. "Hotch, do you have a few minutes?" Spotting Rossi, she frowned and apologized, "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Dave grinned at her even as Hotch rose from the desk to relieve her of a portion of the stack, "It's no trouble kiddo. I was just ensuring that our fearless leader will be coming on Saturday. He's all yours." His cheerful grin hid the fact that his sharp eyes spotted both the slight blush that formed on the blonde's cheeks and the minute narrowing of Aaron's eyes at his phrasing. Oh yes, he definitely hadn't been mistaken on his first day back! He was going to have fun watching this! "I'll see you later Hotch. And Jayje, I hope none of those end up on my desk."

"Only if you're lucky." Rossi grinned once more at the pair and headed for the door. He supposed it was a good thing that his former protégée hadn't picked up some of his less professional habits or he might end up having a harder time concentrating on his work. Their offices did share a wall after all. Though, in his humble opinion, it would do the two work-a-holics a world of good. Ah well.

JJ turned a suspicious glare on the door as it closed behind the older man and then, once the blush receded, turned back to the Unit Chief, "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not. Dave's just being Dave. Are these the rest of the files that we need to review? I don't remember quite this many being here this morning."

JJ grinned at him, "The courier was waiting for me after briefing. And if you can spare a little time, yes. I'm hoping to get them distributed to the teams today." She set the bag down and reached for a folder.

"I have the time." As they worked together to sort the folders he caught the worried glances in his direction that JJ tried to hide and commented, "I made those calls and I've got Jack this weekend. I'll be bringing him to the party with me. My lawyer is speaking with Haley's; hopefully that will make her stop playing games."

The blonde's eyes met his in surprise at the revelation and a wide smile crossed her face, "That's wonderful! I can't wait to see him!" She hadn't wanted to ask and was relieved, for once, when he seemed to read her mind, "And for your sake, and Jack's, I hope it works. This job is stressful enough, you don't need any more."

"Thanks JJ. Now I just have to get him a costume." His hand froze in reaching for the last file when JJ spoke again.

"Actually, Garcia got one for him too. I found it in the bag with my dress; she must have put it in there by mistake." She reached for the bag that she'd set down and handed it to him. "You're all set."

"Thanks. She really does think of everything." And of every excuse that he might have used to get out of the party. He set the bag next to his briefcase and reached for a file as JJ pulled one of the visitor's chairs around to the side of the desk. As much as he enjoyed spending time with her, the faster they got through these, the faster he could clear his desk for the weekend. For once, he was looking forward to a party. And he was painfully conscious of just how much of that was due to the fact that JJ and Jack would be there too. Speaking of that…. "What costume did she end up getting you?"

Feeling slightly mischievous, JJ cast at a look at him from under her lashed and smiled as she bent over the file he'd chosen, "You'll see on Saturday. I'm just glad I didn't have to kill her." She caught the slight widening of his eyes and inwardly smirked. It wasn't often that she was able to surprise Aaron Hotchner but apparently she'd succeeded without even trying.

It took every ounce of control he possessed to not react as he'd like to that response. JJ couldn't have been flirting with him, could she? He had to be interpreting that look incorrectly; his mind was playing tricks on him, right? And if by some miracle she was, did he have the nerve to respond to it? As they bent over the files, he resolved to himself that they'd find out on Saturday.


	4. Chapter 4

**NOMINATIONS HAVE STARTED FOR PROFILER'S CHOICE CRIMINAL MINDS FANFIC AWARDS! Calling all CM readers and authors! Join us for the annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards on! Help us choose the best of the best of the CM stories on, and let your voice be heard. Please check out the nomination ballot and rules at the ProfilerChoiceAwards2013 Forum. All rules and information are on the forum. Nominations are due October 31st. All entries with ten or more categories filled out are eligible to win one of two Amazon gift cards!**

Disclaimer: No, they _still_ aren't mine, nor do I make any money on this. Nor do I own Thomas the Tank Engine, Star Trek, Star Wars, Wonder Woman, the Matrix or David Bowie.

Quick Note: This is a long one folks; I couldn't find a good place to break it up! Enjoy!

When Saturday evening rolled around the weather had turned into perfect Halloween weather: cloudless and with just enough of a nip in the air to remind one that winter was just around the corner. And in the Hotchner apartment, little Jack was so excited about the party that his father was having trouble getting into his own costume after dressing his son, due to having to dodge hits from his son's accessory. Who knew that a plush light saber could be so dangerous?

Hotch smiled at his son as he worked to fasten the black cape to the clips on his shirt. Jack absolutely loved the miniature Jedi costume that Garcia had given him and was toddling around the room, swinging the light saber wildly. For once, the rather Spartan state of his apartment was a benefit: there were fewer things around to get broken! With the cape fastened and his boots on (he was very curious as to how Garcia had gotten the correct sizes) he reached for the mask and helmet. But before he could do more than pick them up Jack's shriek caused him to turn around, "Jack, what's wrong buddy?"

"No Dada, no!" Jack's vocabulary may be limited but his tone and the finger pointing insistently at the mask made his meaning clear: Jack did _not_ want his father to put the mask on!

"Is it too scary?" At the boy's emphatic nod Hotch set the items back on the bed, "Alright buddy, I won't wear them. Are you ready to go?" A cheer and babbling of ''En, en, 'ay 'ay and Unca 'ave' were more than enough to indicate that yes, Jack was more than ready to go and see the people that he knew would spoil him rotten for the evening. So Hotch scooped up his son and his small backpack of supplies and mentally resigned himself to the fact that yes, he was going to the party tonight.

As he tucked Jack into his car seat, Hotch's mind involuntarily drifted to his media liaison and her mood the other day. Aside from that one moment, she hadn't acted any differently than usual with him; he was starting to wonder it had actually happened or if his mind was playing tricks on him. Either way, he promised himself that if she showed any sign of interest in him at all tonight, he'd make a move. To do otherwise was to risk that she would find someone else and he'd lose one of the only two people who kept him sane at times.

His son secured, he shifted the cape enough to allow himself to slide into the driver's seat; while he could, and had, fantasized about staying home and having JJ come to check on them, which would allow him to assess things between them in private, he knew it wasn't going to happen. One, Jack wanted to see team and two; Garcia would never forgive him if he didn't show up. So off they went.

They arrived at Rossi's Little Creek 'cabin' thirty minutes later and as he looked for a parking spot, Hotch wondered, not for the first time, how Garcia had talked Dave into hosting the party here. Personally, he had the feeling it was more a case of asking for forgiveness rather than permission but the fact that Dave let her get away with it revealed a soft spot in the older man. Dave had better watch out or his 'crotchety old man' façade was going to be shot to hell soon. He pulled into a spot and got out to release his son, who was practically vibrating with excitement, from his car seat, "Are you ready to go in Jack?"

"Yay Dada! Unca' 'Ave!" The toddler squirmed until his father set him down to walk on his own and grabbed on to his dad's gloved hand to run to the door, dragging his backpack behind them as they went. Hotch had to grin; his son had definitely inherited his stubborn and independent streaks and Thomas the Tank Engine was taking a beating as a result these days. Taking one last bracing breath, he knocked on the door and prepared to enter the fray. He _hated_ parties!

Inside, Dave was nursing as scotch and alternating between being exasperated with himself for allowing Garcia to hold the party here (never mind the fact that she didn't ask first!) and enjoying the theme of the night. Like himself, many guests had come in various Star Trek costumes and he was profoundly grateful for it; among the Spocks and Kirks he'd already spotted three Uhuras, a Seven of Nine and a Counselor Troi….spandex was a wonderful thing! Star Wars was also popular, with at least one Slave Princess Leia wandering around somewhere. He didn't recognize a lot of the other costumes but then again, sci-fi wasn't really his thing. His jaw dropped though when Prentiss joined him, her red, white and blue costume accentuating her figure _very _nicely. "Well, well, hello there Your Highness! So glad you could get here from Paradise Island this evening. Can I get you a drink? Or a physical, if you prefer."

Prentiss just rolled her eyes at him, "No thanks, I'm on duty and can't fly the jet while intoxicated. I take it that you're Dr. McCoy tonight?"

"I and my tricorder are at your service!" He raised his glass to her in appreciation; thankfully, he'd been able to find a slightly less form-fitting uniform for himself. "Have you seen the others yet?"

"Well, Garcia's around somewhere; she already complained that I'm 'not in theme.' But since I'm not a sci-fi fan, this was as close as I could get. JJ was in the kitchen, last I knew, and I haven't spotted Morgan or Reid in a while."

"They're around somewhere. I think Garcia dressed Reid as well as JJ and Hotch tonight, judging by his outfit. And Hotch isn't here yet. Though he did promise he'd come."

"Well, he does have Jack to bundle up. He'll get here."

A knock on the door proved her right when he opened it to reveal Hotch and Jack, "Hey there, we were just talking about you! Where's the mask?" He bent to greet his 'nephew,' "Hi Jack. Nice costume!" He had to dodge a light saber swing as the boy dropped his dad's hand to give him a hug, "And a dangerous weapon you've got there. Careful!"

Hotch chuckled, "Hello Dave, Prentiss. The mask is at home; it scared Jack too much. Where should I put his bag?"

"I'll toss it in the guest room, in case you need it later. Come, mingle and drink. You do know that's what you're supposed to do at a party, right?"

"Yes Dave, I'm well aware." Hotch rolled his eyes and picked up his son, who'd suddenly turned shy at the sight of the crowded room. "C'mon Jack; let's find Miss Penelope and say thank you for your costume, huh?"

"Pen Pen!" Jack's smile returned at the thought of the blonde who would give him as many sweets as she could get away with, "Pen Pen!"

Prentiss smiled at him, "Garcia's dressed as Rose from Dr. Who, so look for a blond bob and a Union Jack shirt. Morgan's stalking around in black and sunglasses, Morpheus apparently, though I don't know what movie _that's_ from; Reid's with him."

"Dr. What? Never mind, I'm sure I'll find her, if she doesn't find me first. Speak of the devil…" Said blonde was bearing down on them at full steam, "Good evening Garcia. I'm impressed at how quickly you put this together. It looks great."

"Aw, thanks Boss Man! Jackster!" Penelope beamed at her boss and plucked his son from his arms, "How's my favorite little G-man? You look wonderful!"

"Pen!" Jack wrapped his arms around her neck, whacking her with the saber in the process, "Candy?"

Hotch groaned, "Not too much candy Jack." He knew the warning was futile; Garcia would have him on a sugar high in an hour but he had to at least try, "What do you say to Miss Penelope for your costume?"

"'Anks Pen Pen!"

"You're welcome little man! And I feel so safe with such a handsome Jedi to keep me company tonight! Shall we find some candy?"

"Yay! Bye Dada!" Jack waved to his father as Garcia carried him off towards the refreshment table, with Prentiss laughing at the exasperated look on her boss's face.

"That's Garcia for you." She smiled once more as Rossi rejoined them, "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a dance with Morpheus to get to. See you later." Rossi leered at her as she turned away and Hotch burst out laughing when she flipped him off without looking back.

"She's got your number already."

"Looking like that, she can have it." Rossi grinned at his friend's mock-glare, "Oh, don't get your cape in a twist. I'm reformed now!"

"That'll be the day. Just don't make me fire your ass."

The two wandered the room for a few minutes before stopping to talk to Reid, who seemed to be doing his best to meld into the wall. Not for the first time this evening, Rossi eyed the genius's costume curiously; Reid was wearing a black suit and his hair had been sprayed to a reddish-blonde and gelled six ways to Sunday, "Okay kid, I gotta ask: who the heck are you supposed to be? I didn't think you even owned a suit!"

Reid tugged at the collar nervously, "Thomas Jerome Newton."

"Who?"

Hotch chuckled as he reached for a drink; Rossi had just done the one thing that he usually tried to avoid: asking Reid a question that was unrelated to a case. The reason for that became clear a moment later when the younger profiler relaxed even as he began to ramble, "He's the main character from the movie 'The Man That Fell to Earth' which was based on the 1963 novel. David Bowie played the character back in 1975 as his first starring film role. I saw the movie with Garcia last week and she suggested that I dress as him. Did you know that Bowie…."

Dave's attention was abruptly pulled from Reid's explanation to his former protégée, who had suddenly started choking on the drink he'd picked up only moments before. He followed his friend's line of sight to see JJ, who had just re-entered the room from the kitchen. He looked between the two curiously, wondering what had caused that particular reaction from the normally stoic man. JJ looked gorgeous, as always, but her blue-ish-purple dress was long skirted and not what he'd call form-fitting; heck, it didn't even show any cleavage! Her hair was pulled back into an interesting looking headdress and she wore a wide choker, but there was nothing about the costume that he could see to cause that reaction. How curious…

"Hotch, are you alright?" Reid had stopped talking about the movie and was eyeing his supervisor in concern, "Hotch?"

Hotch coughed and quite deliberately turned away from JJ to look at the younger man, "I'm alright Reid. Thank you." He was going to kill Garcia! His attention was drawn back to the blonde when he heard his son's voice cry her name and saw Jack, still in Garcia's arms, reaching for her. He watched as JJ took him from her friend and propped him on her hip to listen to his baby-chatter. Oh crap…he _loved_ the image in front of him but he needed to get out of here before his reaction became obvious to the others! "Excuse me for a moment. I'll be right back." Before either of his friends could reply he turned and headed for the deck door; thank goodness he knew his way around and could escape easily!

Rossi watched his friend's departure with amusement and no small amount of curiosity. He was missing something, some small detail that caused that particular reaction from Hotch. It wasn't her holding Jack; he'd choked when he first saw her. Her costume; was there some significance to it?

His thoughts were interrupted as Morgan and Prentiss came over to join them. Morgan was the first to speak, "What's with Hotch?"

"Not sure. He saw JJ and practically ran out of here."

Prentiss turned to look at the blonde, who was talking to Anderson with Jack on her hip, "What about her?"

"Not sure. She looks great, but that dress is not what I'd call jaw-droppingly revealing."

Garcia wandered over just in time to hear him and giggled, "It _might_ be because of just _who_ she's dressed as." She seemed to be attempting an innocent expression but she was failing miserably.

Morgan gave her a disbelieving look, "Baby Girl, just what are you up to?"

"Don't tell me that you haven't seen Episode II of Star Wars my Adonis!" When Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi all shook their heads, she groaned in mock-despair, "Sacrilege! Well, JJ just so happens to be dressed as Senator Padme Amidala…who happens to be the wife of Anakin Skywalker."

Comprehension dawned on Morgan's face but Rossi was still baffled, "Kitten, the last time I saw any of the Star Wars movies was when my first wife dragged me to the premiere of 'Return of the Jedi' back in 1983, so tell me, who the hell is Anakin Skywalker? I thought the kid's name was Luke."

Now she looked absolutely scandalized, "We really need to get you caught up to the twenty-first century! Luke is the hero in the _original _trilogy, who finds out that Darth Vader is his father. _Anakin_ Skywalker happens to be the name that Vader went by before he turned to the Dark Side!"

A shit-eating grin spread across the author's face as the pieces fell into place, "Kitten, you are a genius! No wonder he shot out of here like a bat out of hell! Though I'm surprised that Hotch got it; I didn't think he'd seen the newer movies either."

Reid looked sheepish at that, "Actually…Hotch stayed with me for a couple of days last month when I was having trouble after a case and we watched all six movies. I think he was trying to keep my mind off…other things."

Rossi nodded in understanding; while the Henkel case had been before he returned, he'd heard about it and knew that Reid was still struggling with the after-effects and his resulting addiction. Hotch had told him that Reid had turned to him and JJ as sponsors of a sort, since they were on the road too much for the kid to have a regular one nearby when he needed help.

Reid's expression turned from sheepish to confused, "Though I don't understand why JJ's costume would make him react like that, despite that characters' relationship." He frowned when more than one head shook in despair at his naivety, "What?"

Garcia draped an arm around him and giggled, "Oh my dear boy, you're so innocent. He likes her, that's why he reacted like that."

"Of course he likes her, we all do. She's JJ."

"No kid, he _likes _her." Morgan's emphasis on the word drove the meaning home and Garcia giggled as comprehension dawned on his face.

"And, my darlings, I can guarantee that the feeling is mutual. But I don't think JJ's spotted his costume yet. Which reminds me, where's his mask?" She turned to Rossi with narrowed eyes and he held up his hands in self-defense.

"He said it scared Jack, so he left it at home."

"Well, I suppose that's an acceptable excuse. Now, it's time to implement Phase Two."

"We had a Phase Two?" Rossi looked at her suspiciously for a moment and then grinned, "I say again, you are a genius!"

"I didn't even know you had a Phase One." Prentiss looked between the two, "I take it there was more to this evening than just having a party."

Garcia smirked at her, "Phase One was getting Hotch to cheer up a bit and that's what the party was for. Phase Two is _finally_ getting the Boss Man and Buttercup together!"

"Finally? Garcia, until four months ago, he was still married."

She waved off Reid's reminder and continued, "Technically but let's face it, they've been close for ages, even if neither one would have acted on it while he was married. And that marriage was over _way _before they actually got divorced and trust me; JJ's received the phone calls from Haley to prove it! But now that he's _not_ they _can!_ And they _need_ to, ASAP. If nothing else, the amount of eye-sex they have is ridiculous! Besides, they make such an adorable couple!"

Rossi smirked, "And let's face it, if Hotch is getting laid on a regular basis, it'll be better for all of us; he might actually relax once in a while!"

"Rossi!"

"Ow! Prentiss, what was that for?" Rossi rubbed the back of his head where she'd smacked him, "That hurt!"

"Don't be crude!"

Just then JJ walked up to the group, Jack still on her hip and playing with her necklace, "What did you do to deserve that Rossi?"

"Tried to look down her top; I just couldn't resist." Rossi shot her a grin, while Garcia dug an elbow into Reid's ribs behind him when he opened his mouth so that he didn't spill the beans, "I'm not sure if I said it before, but you look gorgeous tonight JJ. Having fun?"

"How can I not with this handsome young man as my escort?" JJ brushed a kiss over Jack's head, "But has anyone seen Hotch? Jack needs a dry pair of pants and I don't know where his bag is."

"Last I saw him he was heading outside for some air. He's not really much for parties. I can go get him if you like."

"That's alright, I was just wondering where Jack's things are." JJ tried her best to hide her disappointment; while she loved spending the time with the younger Hotchner she also wanted to spend some time with the adult one too! Not to mention that she was curious as to what Garcia had bought for him to wear; her best friend had been uncharacteristically close-mouthed about it, despite her discreet questions.

"Oh, I put it upstairs in the guest room; first door on the right at the top of the stairs." Rossi's eyes twinkled in a manner that would have alarmed Hotch had he been there to see it, "You can head up if you want; I'll find Aaron and send him up."

"You don't have to do that. We'll be right back." With Jack in one arm and her skirt over the other, she made her way up the steps, oblivious to the smirk that had crossed Rossi's face as soon as she'd turned away.

As soon as she was out of sight Rossi turned to the rest of the group and made a shooing motion with his hands, "Leave the next step to me. Go party and don't interfere. Shoo!"

Prentiss rolled her eyes and took Reid's arm to drag him out onto the makeshift dance floor, "I don't even want to know what you're planning. But I promise that I'll make sure you get a decent funeral when one of them shoots you. Let's go Reid." Reid stumbled after her, still looking in the direction of the stairs and the deck doors, trying to work out what they'd seen that he hadn't. Morgan was similarly pulled away by Garcia, leaving Rossi alone to seek out his friend.

It took him a minute to spot his friend; his dark hair and robes caused him to blend into the shadowed corner that he's tucked himself into, "Aaron, there you are! JJ was looking for you!"

As he'd suspected, the mere mention of the blonde's name got an immediate reaction: the Unit Chief instantly pushed away from the wall and asked, "Is everything alright?"

Oh yeah, this was going to be fun to watch! "Everything's fine, Jack just needed to be changed and she was looking for his bag. I sent her upstairs but figured I'd come get you anyways. Are you okay?" He watched as the younger man's shoulders first relaxed with relief only to tense again at the question.

"I'm fine Dave. I just needed to get away from the noise for a few minutes." With the assurance that both Jack and JJ were alright he began to slip back into the thoughtful state he'd been in before Rossi's arrival, only to have it interrupted once again.

"Aaron, I'm serious…are you alright?"

Hotch didn't say anything for a moment, trying to decide whether or not he should answer and then sighed; if he didn't, Dave would harass him all night, "I'm fine Dave. I'm just trying to decide whether something I saw was wishful thinking or not. And if not, what I should do next."

"What do you mean?"

Another sigh, "The other day, after you left my office, JJ said something when we were going through the files that, if I'd heard it directed at anyone else, I would have called flirting. And now I'm questioning myself. Why would she flirt with me when there are a hundred men at the Academy alone who go out with her in a heartbeat? And even if she was…she deserves someone better."

Rossi shook his head; it was obvious to a _blind_ man that the two of them were nuts about each other. For a guy who rarely if ever doubted himself on the job, Aaron sure was having a crisis of self-confidence when it came to him and JJ if he was thinking about tossing away this opportunity because he thought JJ deserved someone better? A closer look at Hotch's expression made it clear that he truly felt that way and Rossi had to bite back a curse. He blamed Haley for this sudden self-doubt; her complaints, accusations and recriminations had obviously done more damage to his friend's confidence than he'd originally thought. But he'd be damned if he was going to stand here and watch Aaron throw away the _perfect_ chance with the one woman who was made for him!

"Hotch, listen, it's obvious that you and JJ have a thing for each other. She was clearly disappointed when you weren't there a few minutes ago. Jack adores her. You say you think she was flirting; I say go with your instincts. And I think JJ's a smart enough girl to know who and what's best for her and from what I've seen, she seems to think that's you. So if you don't get in there and talk to her, I'll have to personally kick your ass." When the younger man finally smiled slightly he switched to a sly tone in order to banish the previous dark mood, "And of course, I want _all_ of the details later on."

At that Hotch finally laughed and swatted him on the shoulder, "In your dreams, you dirty old man."

"And proud of it, my boy. And proud of it!"

"So you really think that JJ would be receptive to the idea of going out with me?"

"Dammit Aaron, I'm an author, not a shrink. Just get your ass upstairs and talk to the girl!"

""Thanks Dave," Hotch laughed at the bad joke and headed for the stairs, recalling his resolve from the other day. Dave was right: he had to talk to her or risk losing her completely. It was time to bite the bullet.

Behind him Rossi smirked and followed him inside, making a beeline for Garcia. Pausing nest to the blonde he whispered, "Phase Two is ago!" before refilling his glass and scanning the room. Now where had that _delicious_ looking Lt. Uhura gone off to?

As he reached the top of the stairs, Hotch could hear his son's squeals of laughter coming from the guest room. He took a deep breath to banish the last of his prior mood and remembered the promise he'd made to himself earlier; if JJ showed any interest in furthering their relationship, he would go for it. When he rounded the corner of the doorway he was treated to the sight of JJ leaning over to tickle Jack's ribs, which had the little boy squirming with delight.

It took a moment for the pair to realize that they had company but Jack quickly caught sight of him and squealed, "Dada, 'elp!" which caused JJ to turn around, a smile still on her face.

An answering grin stretched across his own mouth, both at the sight of the two playing and the blush that had definitely formed on JJ's cheeks when she'd seen him and realized what his costume was. She'd seen the movies too. Not wanting to make things awkward he approached the bed and addressed Jack's plea first, "Help you, huh?"

Jack giggled again, "'elp Dada! 'Ay 'ay 'ickle me!"

"Miss JJ was tickling you?"

"Uh huh!" When neither adult seemed inclined to resume tickling him immediately, Jack scrambled to his feet and began to bounce on the bed instead, which caused his father to groan.

"He's going to be hyper all night. I wonder just how much sugar Garcia gave him already." At JJ's resulting laugh, he finally met the blonde's eyes, "That bad huh?"

"I counted three cookies before I was able to get him away from her. Who knows what she gave him before that." When he groaned she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "He'll crash eventually."

"It's how long 'eventually' will take to come that worries me," his wry grin earned him another giggle. Their eyes met once more and he glanced down at her dress, forcing himself not to linger too long in certain places, "I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier but you look lovely tonight."

JJ tried to hide her suddenly pink cheeks by turning to ensure that Jack didn't stray too close to the edge of the bed as he bounced even as a shy tone entered her voice when she replied, "Thank you." She allowed herself a moment to collect her wits before turning to look at him again, "You look pretty handsome yourself. I'm glad you skipped the helmet though. Pen certainly went all out, didn't she?" Her fingers unconsciously caught the edge of his cape, feeling the texture of the material; Penelope Garcia hadn't stooped to Walmart-grade costumes: all three were of obviously high quality.

"She certainly did. I'm amazed that she was able to put all of this together in just two days. Though I'm not sure if I should be thankful or if I should fire her."

His rarely-seen dry humor snapped her out of the half-dazed state she'd been in and she winked at him, "Be grateful…there's less paperwork involved."

"Good point." In fact, first thing Monday morning, he was going to have to find a way to thank her…maybe he'd finally approve that equipment request she'd been begging him for. "She certainly doesn't do anything by halves, does she?"

"Never!"

Any thoughts that he may or may not have had about kissing that smirk off her face right then and there were forcefully pushed aside when Jack took that moment to stop bouncing and cling to his father's neck instead as he asked, "Play wi' Pen Pen Dada?"

Hotch forced himself to focus on his son and not the smile that had bloomed on JJ's face at the boy's question, scooping him into on arm, "You want to go see Miss Penelope again Jack?"

"Uh huh! Candy!" Both adults groaned at the boy's obvious ploy; of all of the team members, Garcia was the least likely to resist his charm and feed him more sweets. But they could hardly stay up here all night either, so they exchanged glances and Hotch sighed in resignation, "Sure buddy, we can go play with Miss Penelope again."

"Yay!"

At the top of the stairs JJ had to pause for a moment to gather her skirts once more so she didn't trip on them and Hotch found himself offering his free arm to steady her as they made their way back down to the main floor. As intent as they were on Jack's chatter and each other's proximity neither realized the picture they made as they came down the steps together. However, it didn't go completely unnoticed…

Across the room, Garcia squealed and latched onto Morgan's arm, "Do you see what I meant? You can't tell me that they don't look absolutely gorgeous together!"

Morgan pried her fingers loose before she could completely cut off his circulation. But even as he did so, he had to agree with her, "You're right Baby Girl, as always. I'm in, I'm in. But Sweetness, I still need that arm!" With a final glance at the two he pulled the excited blonde onto the dance floor before they could be caught staring, "They're doing just fine. So come dance with me Mama and let them do their thing." He laughed at the pout on her face but pulled her into a dance without letting her turn around again.

The couple in question had reached the main floor and Jack, who'd apparently gotten distracted from his initial goal of locating the tech and her endless supply of candy, immediately wriggled to get down and ran off to join some of the other kids nearby, leaving the adults grinning at his excitement.

"Well, he definitely didn't inherit your party phobia."

Hotch shot the blonde at his side a mock glare, which only made her laugh, "It's not a phobia. I just don't like them very much."

She cocked her head and nodded, conceding the point, "I suppose I can't blame you; they aren't my favorite thing either. But it could be worse."

"Very true. It could be a Bureau party," the deadpan quip earned him a swat on the arm, even as she grinned.

"Bite your tongue!"

The next fifteen minutes or so passed quickly; once they'd gotten over their initial nervousness and the implications of their respective costumes, they were able to settle into their usual friendly conversation while keeping an eye on Jack, who came back to them a couple of times before becoming absorbed in the children's games that Garcia had arranged. But after a while Hotch was suddenly conscious of the distinct feeling of being stared at…

When he turned to see who was watching him he realized that he wasn't the one being watched at all; another party-goer was doing his level best to stare past him to ogle _JJ._ It took him another moment to realize that his own eyes had automatically narrowed into the glare that he usually reserved for UNSUBs and was darkly satisfied when the younger man caught his eye and immediately beat a hasty retreat. He may not have figured out just how to ask JJ out quite yet but the hell if he'd give someone else the chance to move in. If she turned him down he'd bow out gracefully but until then he had every intention of keeping any potential competition at a very great distance.

What Hotch didn't realize was that while he was glaring at the potential Casanova, JJ had spotted a willowy brunette nearby who was eyeing him with a more than casual interest and she was feeling rather territorial herself. The nerve of some people! She and Aaron were dressed as a couple (never mind that they hadn't actually picked out their own costumes, that was beside the point!) they had a young child with them and they'd been talking to each other since they came back downstairs! Could it be any more obvious that he was _not_ on the menu?! Since the brunette had started to head their way, apparently not. But she couldn't justify drastic action to herself, since Aaron wasn't technically hers either, so a more circumspect method was in order. To that end she looped her arm through his once more, pulling his attention back from whatever had distracted him and asked, "Aaron, would you mind if we got something to eat? I was so busy helping Pen set up earlier that I forgot to grab something and now I'm starving."

Hotch's glare immediately softened to a look of concern, "JJ, you should have said something sooner!"

"I just realized it now. You know how I get when I'm focused on something." She smiled sheepishly as he steered her towards the refreshment tables, leaving the now irritated looking brunette behind them. The look she received from Aaron at her admission was a cross between concern, amusement and, dare she hope, affection, as he scolded her gently.

"Yes, I do. You scold me for forgetting to eat but you're just as bad." Sensing the opportunity to test the waters, he forged ahead, "I might just have to drag you out of your office to eat if you don't start taking better care of yourself," and was thrilled at her cheeky response.

"That's fine with me. Just don't complain when I do the same to you!" While their conversation wasn't too far removed from their usual sort both were very aware of the new tension between them and could read between the lines accurately. But as they approached the food tables they looked around before their eyes met in understanding once more; yes, they both wanted to explore this further but this was _not_ the ideal location for the conversation they needed to have. So for now, they would just act as they usually did…much as they might wish otherwise.

And, though they didn't realize it, much to their friends' frustration! Dave happened to be at the table as they came over and could practically _see_ the tension between them! He'd caught Aaron's glare at the kid who'd been eyeing JJ and had hoped that the Unit Chief would stake his claim in a more….demonstrative way. But to his annoyance the two just kept up their usual façade. Damn it all!

But…a little patience and a little troublemaking might just do the trick and he was an expert at both. So to that end he waited until they'd each gotten something to eat and drink before joining them and exclaiming, "There you two are! Aaron, I was starting to think that you'd snuck out early on us!"

The younger man just rolled his eyes in response, "No Dave, I didn't. I may have been tempted to but I'm not risking Garcia's wrath. "

Dave smirked, "Smart man. But just in case: Jayje, I'm putting you in charge of ensuring that our fearless leader sticks around a while longer, understood?"

JJ just shook her head and took a sip of her drink, "Rossi, you're incorrigible."

"So I've been told, gorgeous. So I've been told." Ah, Aaron hadn't liked that particular comment; he was suddenly on the receiving end of the legendary Hotchner look of displeasure. Many a man would have cowered in the face of that look but David Rossi was reckless enough to ignore it completely. Instead he just kept up a steady stream of conversation, laced with the occasional innuendo, until the two had finished eating. At that point, true to his expectation, his ever gentlemanly (much to his personal dismay) friend left momentarily to dispose of their trash, which left him the perfect opportunity to stir the pot just a bit more by taking JJ's arm and leading her towards the dance floor.

"C'mon gorgeous, you're the only BAU lady that I haven't had the pleasure of dancing with yet tonight. You're not going to deny an old man a dance, are you?" He could feel Hotch's eyes burning into his back even as the blonde on his arm gave him a fondly exasperated look.

"Somehow Rossi, I highly doubt that you've been lacking dance partners tonight." Never the less, she allowed him to lead her into a moderately fast-paced dance…though she kept a wary eye on his hands…

Her suspicious tone only made her dance partner laugh, "True enough. Are you having fun this evening?"

"Well, Pen certainly knows how to throw a party and you've been a generous host in letting her have it here. Jack's having a blast. Though you're lucky that I haven't told Hotch about that candy that you gave him a few minutes ago…yet."

His grin was completely unrepentant. "Busted!" When she gave him a _look_ for that response, he chuckled and tried to defend himself, "Aw c'mon kiddo, it's Halloween. And I'm allowed to spoil my nephew."

"Yes but you're not the one who's going to be dealing with the sugar high!"

Rossi raised a mental eyebrow at that but decided to allow the statement to pass unchallenged. JJ didn't seem to realize that her phrasing implied that _she and Aaron_ would be dealing with the hyperactive boy later on. Maybe they were closer to a resolution than he'd thought. "Luckily for me, I've known Aaron long enough to know that he'll get over it by Monday morning."

"You'd better hope so. Y'know, sometimes I'd swear you have a death wish." JJ gave the profiler one more exasperated look as he spun her around to the final dramatic chords of the song. She had to give him credit; he was a good dancer…even if he was a pain in the ass sometimes.

Whatever reply Rossi might have made to that statement would never be known because at that moment they both caught sight of Hotch waiting for them at the edge of the dance floor…and the buxom redhead who was doing her level best to plaster herself to his side, despite his obvious discomfort. JJ recognized his expression as being uncomfortable but not knowing how to politely get out of the situation; she'd seen it a few times on cases in the past. And when he met her eyes the plea for help in them made her smile just a bit; he really was too much of a gentleman for his own good sometimes. Luckily for him, _she_ wasn't a gentleman.

As soon as she and Dave were close enough she let go of the older man's arm and called out, "There you are Aaron!" and slid smoothly between him and the redhead, "You promised me a dance, remember?"

Hotch flinched momentarily at her saccharine-sweet tone but played along, "Of course I remember Jayje. Excuse us." He nodded politely to the redhead who was glaring at JJ for her interference and led her back onto the floor, feeling much more confident after their earlier banter and her territorial display. As soon as they were out of earshot he sighed in relief, "Thank you." He just hoped that she wasn't upset with him and was reassured a moment later when she squeezed his arm affectionately.

"You're welcome. I suppose you can't help being so handsome as well as too polite for your own good sometimes."

"Blame my parents; they drilled it into me. However, if I catch one more guy ogling you, I just might have to punch someone."

JJ flushed at the possessive tone that had crept into his voice at the statement. As they settled into the rhythm of the dance she scolded teasingly, "You are _such_ an alpha male Aaron."

"And don't you forget it JJ." His hand tightened on her waist even as he smiled down at her; conversation became unnecessary after that as their eyes met in perfect understanding once more. They'd work out the details of this thing between them later but for now, they'd just enjoy the rest of the party. Once the dance was over the two made their way back to the children's games to check on Jack again and were soon joined by the rest of the team.

Over the next hour or so the seven talked and danced as Jack flitted between the adults, being spoiled by his various 'aunts' and 'uncles;' often trying to climb up the back of his dad's cape or playing peek-a-boo with them from behind JJ's skirts. JJ danced with Morgan and Reid, the latter leading her in an endearingly awkward slow dance. Hotch was in such a good mood that he even allowed both Prentiss and Garcia to drag him back onto the floor, though he adamantly _refused_ to attempt the Macarena that Penelope tried to talk him into, much to Dave's amusement.

But to the tech's frustration, an hour and a half later, her Boss Man and Jayje weren't doing _anything_….okay, they'd been talking and practically glued at the hip whenever one of them wasn't dancing and yes, they were now dancing with each other to an appropriately slow song but they weren't doing anything _else_! Not even a peck on the cheek! But when she pointed this out to the others, Morgan had the most infuriatingly logical explanation.

"Baby Girl, they're in the middle of a crowded room and neither of them are the type for PDAs. They're not going to make out in the middle of the dance floor…especially not in front of us.

"But Derek…."

"Sweetness, even if they do get together we're all going to have to play dumb, at least for a little while. One, I'm sure they need to talk and they sure can't do that here. And two, there'll be some red tape at work they'll have to work through. So until they tell us themselves, we have to turn a blind eye."

"But…but… if they leave without _something_ happening I'm afraid that they'll slide back into the 'just friends' zone! We can't let that happen!"

Reid had been listening silently but spoke up then, "Well, they drove here separately so you can't force them…." The observation was cut off suddenly by a high-pitched squeal.

"I absolutely _adore_ you, my little genius! That's perfect!"

"What…what did I say this time?" It really was frustrating, not knowing just what it was that he said or did that had her so excited, yet again.

The question was ignored as Garcia spun around and pointed at Rossi, "You: go and fix JJ's car so it won't work…and hurry!"

"Kitten, what on earth are you going on about now?" Once again he found himself on the receiving end of a woman's exasperated look; men were _so_ obtuse!

"If JJ's car won't start then the Boss Man will have to drive her home! It's perfect!" When Rossi still looked skeptical she hurried on, "Look, do you want him to be cranky again or do you want him to be a little mellower because he's finally happy? Go sabotage her car! Now!"

"Alright Kitten, we'll do it your way, again." Rossi shook his head in affectionate exasperation and headed for the garage where he knew JJ had parked earlier. He popped the hood and removed the spark plugs, wrapping them in a rag from the workbench. Aaron was going to owe him for this! He just hoped that Garcia was right and that this would work. All joking aside, he wanted to see his friend happy and JJ was the one who could make him so. If this worked out he knew a couple of ways around the fraternization rules they could employ. And if _those_ didn't work, there was always his vast store of blackmail material on those in the corner offices who _could_ make it happen, which he'd be happy to use to help his friends. He just hoped that Aaron didn't screw this up!


End file.
